Configure the Simplicity Power Estimator Tool for Wi-Fi Applications#

The Simplicity Power Estimator enables developers to simulate operating scenarios by configuring parameters that reflect real-world application use cases. The tool uses the selected configuration to calculate average current consumption and estimate battery life.

Step 1: Configure the Device#

Follow these steps to model your device configuration:

1. Choose a Battery Type#

• Select a predefined battery profile, such as AA or coin cell.

• To use a custom battery, select Custom... and enter the battery capacity in the Battery Capacity field.

2. Allocate Memory#

• Allocate the available 672 kB of static random-access memory (SRAM) between the Network Wireless Processor (NWP) and the Cortex-M4 processor.

• Decide how much Cortex-M4 memory remains active during sleep. The available amount depends on the memory allocation.

Note: The default memory allocation is 352 kB / 320 kB, the most commonly used split for the shared SRAM. In this configuration, the NWP allocates 352 kB, and the Cortex-M4 uses the remainder of the 672 kB of shared on-die SRAM. For an application that does not require 320 kB, selecting 256 kB or 192 kB for the Cortex-M4 can reduce power consumption.

3. Configure the Wireless Processor Performance Profile#

Select a Performance Profile:

• Associated power save: The device is connected to a network. This mode uses Delivery Traffic Indication Message (DTIM)-based operation supported by Wi-Fi 5 and earlier networks.

• Associated power save with low latency: The device is connected to a network. This mode uses DTIM-based operation supported by Wi-Fi 5 and earlier networks. After receiving a packet, the device stays awake for a configured amount of time.

• Associated power save with Target Wake Time (TWT): Available when connected to a Wi-Fi 6 access point. The device wakes up at scheduled intervals.

• Associated power save with Auto TWT: Available when connected to a Wi-Fi 6 access point. The device wakes up at scheduled intervals.

• Deep Sleep: The device is not connected to a network.

Depending on the selected mode, update the following settings:

4. Configure the Application Processor Activity (Cortex-M4)#

• Enable or disable the Cortex-M4 processor activity.

• Configure the following settings:

  Setting	Description
  Periodicity	Interval between Cortex-M4 wake events without the NWP.
  Duration	Length of time the Cortex-M4 remains active independently.

5. Configure TCP-Centric Parameters#

• Enable or disable Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) data transfer.

• Enable or disable Transfer and Receive separately.

• If enabled, configure the following settings:

  Setting	Description
  TX Periodicity	Frequency of sending data through TCP.
  TX Payload Size	Amount of data sent during each transmit (TX) operation.
  RX Periodicity	Frequency of receiving data through TCP.
  RX Payload Size	Amount of data received during each receive (RX) operation.
  Tx/Rx Socket Keep-Alive	Interval between TCP TX and RX keep-alive messages. This setting is available only when Transfer or Receive is enabled.

6. Add Peripherals#

• Enable or disable peripheral configuration.

• Select a predefined peripheral, such as a humidity sensor or liquid crystal display (LCD), or define your own.

• If using a custom peripheral, enter its power consumption.

Step 2: View the Results#

After you configure the device, the estimator calculates the following metrics:

• Average Current Consumption: The estimated average current used by the device.

• Estimated Battery Life: The projected operating lifetime based on the selected battery in the chosen metric.

• Activity Breakdown: A diagram showing how much power each activity (such as sleep or data transfer) consumes.

Limitations#

• The estimator derives estimates strictly from static data sheet parameters.

• The estimator does not model environmental influences or hardware variations, such as temperature or impedance mismatch.

• The estimator does not support runtime power profiling.